The Literary Heritage of the Arabs samples some of the finest literature produced by Arab writers from pre-Islamic times to the Abbasid Dynasty. The selection of poetry and prose spans many genres and styles, conveying the full range of Arab experiences and perspectives - from the tragic to the comic, the wistful to the mystical, and the courtly to the lowly. This volume includes Arabian odes (or Mu'allaqat), the pre-eminent poetic form in pre-Islamic tribal society; selections from the Holy Qur'an, which revolutionized Arab spiritual and poetic sensibility and contributed a literary exemplar and inspiration that has endured to this day; samples of Hadith that testify to the words and actions of the Prophet Muhammad; and examples of poetry produced during the Umayyad dynasty. The anthology concludes with a cornucopia of poetry and prose that flourished during the Abbasid period - the fruit of vibrant cross-cultural interaction and influence - such as the poetry of rivalry, love, adventure and mystic transcendence, as well as prose conveying scientific innovation, philosophical inquiry, theological disputation and historical analysis

About the Author
Suheil Bushrui is a distinguished author, poet, critic and translator, particularly revered as an authority on the works of W. B. Yeats and Kahlil Gibran. He is a senior research scholar at the Center for International Development and Conflict Management at the University of Maryland. James M. Malarkey is a specialist on Middle Eastern and North African affairs. He is the Chair of Humanities and General Education at Antioch University Midwest.


Book Information
ISBN 9780863568244
Author Suheil Bushrui
Format Hardback
Page Count 500
Imprint Saqi Books
Publisher Saqi Books
Dimensions(mm) 240mm * 155mm * 42mm